


The Legend of Zelda: Balance of Shadows

by Lame2882



Series: The Legend of Zelda: Balance of Shadows [1]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Fan Characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-17 14:01:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28850238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lame2882/pseuds/Lame2882
Summary: Link was taken in by the royal family after his village burnt down, being raised as the prince of Hyrule. He was rarely allowed to leave the castle, only doing so when training and with a royal guard. However, his spirit longed for adventure and he wanted desperately to leave his royal life behind. When denied of this dream and he learns of his true identity and destiny, he doesn't take it very well.
Series: The Legend of Zelda: Balance of Shadows [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2115546
Kudos: 1





	1. Prologue

Fire quickly enveloped the forest, flames devouring the trees and wildlife in their path. Inside the forest was a small village, surrounded by these flames. Villagers tried desperately to put the fire out, at least enough to flee the scene. Over the commotion and the sparks of the fire, the crumbling of a building could be heard, followed by a shriek and a baby's cry.

"Don't worry! We'll get you out of there!" A deep voice yelled from the other side of the fire.

Word of the fire had gotten out and back to the King of Hyrule, who now arrived at the scene on the back of his horse with a small army of soldiers who carried large buckets of water to clear a pathway for the villagers to escape. On the King's mark, they threw the water down, effectively creating a path for the villagers.

Some villagers were trying desperately to put the fire out with water from the pond in the village, but it was futile as the dry season made the fire spread too quickly.

"Citizens of Ordon, please evacuate! There is no need to risk your lives in vain!" The king hollered over the roar of the fire.

Villagers reluctantly agreed. The king ordered for some of his men to continue putting out the flames while others were ordered to aid the evacuation. The king was about to go along with the fleeing villagers when he heard a desperate plea, "Please! Anyone! Help!" a woman's voice was heard.

The king rode over to where he heard the cry, which seemed to come from a collapsed building. In the rubble, the was a woman who was stuck that held something swaddled in a blanket. "Are you alright? I'll get you out of there!" the king said with determination.

"I'm stuck and my leg is broken," she explained through her coughing, "just please, save my son!" she held out a young child swaddled in the blanket. "He has to survive, he is a child of destiny and his name is Link." She handed the child through a small hole in the debris, letting the king take the infant in his arms. "I will take care of him to the best of my ability." the king muttered with determination.

"Th-Thank you," she coughed again, "now please, go."

With the child in his arms, he reluctantly turned away from the woman. He jumped on his horse and rode off out of the woods, taking the young boy home with him. As he rode, he looked down to see the infant's eyes were still closed as he seemed to be sleeping. He hadn't cried at all since he was given to the king and the king was afraid that he wasn't even alive. But sure enough, when he went to check, the child was breathing.

It was late at night, and the ride home was long so the king, his men, and the villagers who had been saved stopped to camp for the night. The king tied up his horse and rested against a nearby tree as he unwrapped the blanket swaddling the boy that covered most of his features. When the blanket was unwrapped, the child had golden blonde hair. The sudden touch of the cold air awoke him and his mouth opened in a small yawn. Blue eyes opened and the young boy looked up at the King, who was afraid of the child crying. To his surprise, Link didn't cry and he was silent, but his eyes showed fear in them. "It's alright, Link," he said, "I'm going to be taking care of you from now on."

»»————- ♔ ————-««

The next day, the king made it back to the castle, being greeted by his wife. "Caspian, I was so worried about you," she embraced him before turning her attention to the toddler by his side. "Who is this?"

"This is Link, he lost his parents in the fire," the king answered somberly, "I was hoping we could... take him in."

The queen got down on one knee to get down to Link's level. The boy took a scared step back as she did so. "It's alright, little one. I won't hurt you," her melodic voice was comforting to him and he took a step forward.

"Mama, mama!" A little voice was heard coming down the hallway. She then noticed the king standing there, she gasped excitedly, "Papa! You're back!" the little girl laughed. The sight of her made the boy hide behind the king. He didn't like loud noises. "Who's that?" Zelda asked, pointing at the boy.

"His name is Link, he'll be living with us from now on," the queen told Zelda. "He's your new brother. He just lost his parents in a fire."

"Oh," Zelda's ears lowered, feeling sympathy for him.

"Zelda," the king began, "why don't we go get you dressed?" he asked, seeing that Zelda was still in her pajamas. "Let's leave Link and your mother alone." he ushered the princess out of the hall.

The queen and the little boy were left alone, standing awkwardly. She smiled at him, "Come, little one, let me show you around," she held out her hand and he hesitantly took it.

The queen showed the young boy around the castle and even showed him to a bedroom that he would be staying in. It was a pretty plain bedroom as they had no time to prepare for adopting a child, they would have to grab Zelda's old crib for him and they would definitely decorate it so that it was fit for a child. She ordered some servants to grab the old crib and put it in the room, which they went off to go do.

It had taken most of the day for the queen to show the child around. She knew that the child probably wouldn't remember any of this, not that they were going to let him wander on his own anyway, but she just wanted to give Link a chance to get used to being with her and adjust to the new environment. By the end of the tour, the queen carried Link in her arms as he fell asleep. He had become plenty comfortable with her. She headed back to her office where her husband worked, "I think he'll be fine," she smiled as she showed that he had fallen asleep in her arms.

"You're so great with children," he grinned in return.

"He's such a beautiful child, has so much potential," she put a comforting hand on the toddler's cheek.

"About that," the king began, "before I left, his mother told me something." the queen looked up from the child to look at her husband, she tilted her head in wonder of what he was going to say. "She told me that he is the child of destiny."

The queen's eyes widened, "You mean, the ancient hero?"

The king nodded, "He's the hero reborn,"

"So we have two of the three reincarnations of the Triforce. What are we going to do?" she asked.

"Well, Zelda is already aware of her destiny. But perhaps it's best we keep his a secret. The burden of the hero is a heavy one, he shouldn't have to deal with it before it's time," the king suggested.

The queen sighed, "Very well, I suppose that's reasonable. But... when do we tell him?"

"If possible, I say his seventeenth birthday," he answered, receiving a nod from his queen in response. "He looks so tired, he should rest."

The queen nodded, "I'll go put him down for bed."

She headed back to the room, seeing the crib prepared for the toddler. She gently put him down and put a blanket over him. Link's eyes fluttered open a little bit, but he still didn't cry. "Such a quiet child, aren't you?" she smiled warmly. "Goodnight, my son." she pecked him on the forehead and his eyes slowly closed as he drifted back to sleep.


	2. Approaching Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After pulling a little stunt, Link is punished and sent away from the castle to accompany Impa on a journey to Gerudo Town.

Link stood in front of his father's office. He paced back and forth in the hallway. He was in big trouble and was waiting anxiously for his punishment.

"Link," he heard his father beckon him from inside.

Link opened the door quietly, peeking his head into the office to get a good look at his adopted father, "H-hey, dad," he chuckled.

"I'm very disappointed in you. You have disgraced the royal family today. My own son, dropping eggs on the very people protecting him. What do you have to say for yourself?" His father growled.

"I'm... sorry?" Link said in a questioning tone.

"That's what you say every time. If you were truly sorry, you would cease this childish behavior!" His fathered yelled. He then sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "I know it's been hard since your mother died, but it's been 9 years! You're 15 now, start acting like it!"

"I'm just so bored all the time! Maybe if I had something to do-" Link attempted to argue.

"We signed you up for guitar lessons, aren't those fun?" The king objected.

"For an hour, maybe. I want to go outside the castle! Let me practice archery on bandits! Let me do something," Link raised his voice.

"You know why we can't do that, young man,"

"Because I'm 'important' bullshit. It's not like I'm actually important! I'm just an orphaned child that happened to be unfortunate enough to lose my parents in a fire and be adopted into the snottiest family in existence," Link crossed his arms, receiving a glare that would make any sensible beast back down from his father. Link's ears lowered, "I-I didn't mean it. I'm s-sorry."

The king shook his head, "You want to go outside? Fine, you will be going with Impa to the Gerudo Desert tomorrow to check the borders and bring exports to the town. I'll get it set up," he huffed.

"W-wait, really?" Link raised a brow.

"Yes, I'm going to show you just how exciting the outside world is by taking you to the most relentless part of it. Burning temperatures, hostile atmosphere, you'll absolutely hate it," the king muttered.

"Sounds fun," Link shrugged.

The king shook his head, "Get ready to go. Impa is meant to leave in a few hours,"

"Yes sir," Link nodded before turning out the door. He ran back to his room before being stopped by his sister. "So what did dad say?" She asked him.

"He's kicking me out of the castle," Link acted hurt. "He's decided he doesn't want me anymore and that he regrets adopting me."

Zelda rolled her eyes, "You pull that card every week, what did he actually say?"

Link shrugged, "He's actually kicking me out of the castle. He's sending me with Impa to Gerudo Desert,"

"Wait, really? Isn't that place awful?" Zelda gasped.

Link shrugged, "Maybe, but it's nothing a master archer can't handle,"

"You're archery is incredible, but not very useful in close combat, Master Link," Impa's voice could be heard. Link turned around to see her holding a bag of supplies. "I heard I've gained a companion for my journey to Gerudo Town,"

"That's me," Link grinned, "I'm really excited!"

Impa chuckled, "I'm glad, it might keep you out of trouble for a couple of days," she then turned away from the two children, gesturing for Link to follow her, "Come on, then. We should get you ready for the long journey ahead of us."

"How long will we be gone?" Link asked.

"I takes about a day's journey to get there," Impa began, only to be interrupted by Link.

"Shouldn't we leave in the morning, then?" Link tilted his head.

Impa sighed, "Typically, yes, but the desert is relentlessly hot during the day so we must travel at night. We'll leave a couple hours before sunset and hopefully by the time night arrives, we will already be in the desert. You won't be able to enter the town as they only allow women inside, so you'll be staying outside watching our animals and supplies. Understand?"

Link nodded, "Why don't they allow men inside?"

"It's a rule that's been kept for ages. The only male allowed inside is the rare male Gerudo, who is meant to be the king of the Gerudo," Impa explained. "Now enough talking, let's get you ready."

Link followed Impa around the castle to grab himself some supplies for the journey. He grabbed a few canteens of water for the blazing heat, blankets for the cold nights, food, and some other supplies they would need along the way. When they finished, they headed to the royal stables to grab their horses. Impa rode on a strong, well-built stallion meant for carrying heavier supplies while Link got on his horse Epona, a fast, gentle and obedient mare that he'd received for his training when he was 12.

They rode their horses out of the stable to be greeted by Princess Zelda and King Caspian. Link dismounted Epona and walked over to them, going to give them a hug. Zelda accepted the embrace, but his father stopped him by putting a large hand on his chest, instead Link received a glare from his father and he took a few steps back. "Goodbye, Link. We'll see you in a couple of days. Don't be stupid, don't get in trouble, and listen to Lady Impa. Understand?"

Link sighed and rolled his eyes, "Yes, father, I understand," he turned away from them and mounted Epona once more, adjusting the backpack on his shoulder uncomfortably. Impa had her horse begin walking away from the stables, "Let us go, your highness," Impa said. Link followed her on his horse with a frown. 

The two of them rode off, heading southwest towards their destination. When they left the walls that protected castle town, Link spoke up, "So we'll be there by sunrise?"

"If we make good time, yes," Impa nodded. "Now be alert. We're in an age of peace for now, but there are still bandits lying about. You might attract them, being royalty and all." Impa said that last part quietly to not attract attention to themselves.

"Got it," Link nodded, knocking an arrow just in case.

"So how is your training coming along? Have you held a sword yet?" Impa asked casually.

Link shook his head with a disappointed sigh, "No, father doesn't want me learning swordsmanship until I'm 16. He doesn't think I'm ready,"

"Just a few more months then, right?" Impa said in hopes of cheering up the young prince.

"I guess," Link sighed.

The ride was pretty quiet, Link occasionally asking for a drink from the canteen and Impa telling stories of past heroes and past wars. They hadn't run into trouble, much to Impa's surprise. Bandits were usually all over the place, traveling in small groups to prey on defenseless travelers, the Yiga Clan being one of these groups. Though once mighty and powerful, the Yiga had become nothing more than petty thieves as they didn't really have a true leader. That's what Impa had told Link, anyway.

"So how did they even lose their leader?" Link raised a brow, resting his head on Epona's.

"Not sure, it was a long time ago," Impa explained. "The current members are descendants, the original clan is long dead now. They're not much of a threat anymore." Link just gave a bored sigh. "Is something wrong, Master Link?" Impa asked.

"Do you think my dad is really upset with me?" Link muttered, he was starting to feel bad. "Do you think... maybe it would've been better for him if I died in that fire?"

"Master Link," Impa scolded, "your father loves you and none of us would ever dream of you dying in the fire. You are important to this kingdom and it would be a real shame if you were injured. However, you need to grow up and act your age. You can't keep pulling pranks on everyone." Link went silent, resting his head on his horse and looking away from Impa. "I'm sorry, Master Link, but it's true," Impa muttered.

Link still didn't say anything and the journey was silent until night crept in and they passed into the desert. The dark night brought up a cold, crisp breeze, making Link's cape fly up and expose his back and take his hood down. He shivered a bit, but still didn't say a word. "You look cold," Impa noted, "Would you like a coat? A blanket?" Link still didn't say anything. "Being silent isn't going to help, your highness. I am your loyal servant, tell me what's wrong." Impa said sternly, tired of the prince's stubbornness.

"It doesn't matter," Link muttered at last. He pulled his hood back up and continued his ride. Impa just sighed with frustration but didn't try to press him further. She didn't need to, as he spoke up on his own. "Am I really important to the kingdom? It's not like I really do anything."

"You mastered archery, did you not? I consider that something," Impa answered.

"Something relevant to the kingdom. Mastering archery was a personal thing, it's not like I was required to learn it. If anything, it just shows how unimportant I am... having time to master something of such insignificance," Link swept his bangs out his face.

"As a 15 year old, there isn't much you can do. When you're older, you will be able to travel to other kingdoms and handle political issues with them. I'm sure you'll be so busy that you won't have time to think such thoughts," Impa reassured him.

Link groaned, "I don't want to deal with politics, Impa. I want to travel the world free of duty. I want to be an adventurer!" he looked up at the moon with hopeful eyes, reaching a hand towards it. His hand sunk down with another sigh, "but I know... that's not going to be an option for me."

"I'm sorry, Link, but it just wasn't meant to be that way," Impa said.

"Maybe it would've been better for me if I died in that fire," Link chuckled darkly.

"Master Link!" Impa scolded again.

"Calm down, I'm kidding," Link rolled his eyes then muttered under his breath so Impa wouldn't hear him, "Kinda." he paused for a few moments. "Can I have a blanket?" he asked, his ears red from how chilly the night became.

"Of course, your highness," Impa nodded and calmly handed him one of the blankets they packed. He wrapped it around him, letting go of the reigns of his horse to lean against its neck. "You must be tired. You don't usually stay up this late." Impa muttered.

Link chuckled, "That's what you think," he actually pulled all-nighters quite often. Nighttime was the best time to set up plots to terrorize the townsfolk, after all. Though because of the stunt he pulled that got him into this mess in the first place, he had been awake for over 24 hours straight. "But yeah, I'm a little tired."

"Go ahead and sleep if you can. I'll wake you up when we get there," Impa instructed.

"Don't have to tell me twice," Link closed his eyes. Luckily Epona had a smooth gait and it didn't take long for Link to fall asleep.

»»————- ♔ ————-««

Link awoke to the scene of the desert. It was still dark and as he looked around, Link noticed he was alone. "Impa?" he called out. His heart rate picked up and he wasn't sure what to do. He had never been alone outside the castle before. "Impa!" he yelled. "Impa! Where are you!"

Suddenly an arrow whizzed past his face, scratching his cheek. He looked behind him to see a group of bandits chasing him. His eyes widened and he kicked Epona, "Yah!" he commanded the horse to run faster, which she did obediently. He released her reigns, trusting she'd know what to do as he grabbed his bow. He didn't hesitate to knock and arrow on the string and aim. He was able to shoot down a couple of bandits without any problem until Epona tripped and he was flung forward in front of the horse. Epona fell behind him, landing on his legs and immobilizing him. "Epona! Get up!" He said with fear growing in his tone. He watched the bandits approach quickly and his ears lowered.

"Look at him!" one of the bandits laughed, "He's supposed to-" the rest of the bandit's sentence was muffled and inaudible to Link. His heart was beating out of his chest. He felt like a coward, trembling in the sand unable to move.

"P-please, don't hurt me," Link whimpered.

Suddenly another bandit came forward. He was a large man with long, ginger hair. His skin was dark and his eyes seemed to glow red. "A prince, eh?" he raised a brow. "In all my lifetimes, I never thought you'd be born a prince. You all come from so many difference places, but I've never seen a prince before."

Link's ears lowered, "W-What?" he furrowed his brows.

"The darkness in your heart will be your demise, Link,"

»»————- ♔ ————-««

"Master Link, we've arrived," Impa called to the young prince.

Link's eyes fluttered open and he sat up groggily. He yawned and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "Huh?" he looked forward, seeing the town before him. The walls were made of clay and lit up by torches. "This is Gerudo Town?" he asked.

Impa nodded, "Be polite for the guards, okay?" Link nodded obediently. He was too tired to pester them anyway. He looked to the sky. The sun was beginning to replace the starlight and light up the sky, ringing in the dawn.

"Halt!" One of the guards called out, "Identify yourself!"

"Impa of the Sheikah and Prince Link Hyrule," Impa answered. "We've come to bring supplies."

"You may pass, but the prince stays out!" the guard hollered. "We have a small shelter he may use until your business is finished."

"Understood," Impa nodded before turning to Link. She pointed out the small shelter outside the walls. It wasn't much, just a small tent with an opening out front. Link sighed but rode Epona over to it. He dismounted her, letting her lay down and he sat against her. He watched Impa enter the town and then rested his head back, closing his eyes and returning to his slumber.

He wasn't able to fall into too deep of a sleep before he heard the yelling of one of the guards. "Stop right there!"

His ears perked up and he looked toward the entrance of the town, seeing a teenage boy that was maybe a year or two older than he was running away from the guards. They didn't get too far before they stopped chasing after him. Alarmed, Link stood up. With a small smirk on his face he called to the guards, "I'll get him!" he yelled and ran after the boy. "Hey! You! Stop!"

Though due to the uneven sandy terrain, he wasn't able to run very quick. He noticed as the boy seemed to check something on his hand and looked back for a brief moment, but his pace did not falter. "Your highness!" The guards called after Link, "Stop! It's too dangerous out there for you!"

Link's foot sunk into the sand and he tripped, getting a mouth full of sand. He spat it out and raised his head, watching the boy disappear into the darkness. He looked back at the guards, "I could've had him!" Link yelled back.

"There's a sandstorm coming in. We couldn't care less if that criminal gets lost in it, but royalty like yourself shouldn't be putting themselves in danger like that," the guard answered.

"Sandstorm?" Link looked back at where he last saw the boy, seeing dust clouds drawing near. He stood up and dusted himself off before returning back to the small shelter.

The guard nodded, looking at the approaching storm with worry before giving an annoyed sigh. "We don't usually allow voes inside town, but we can't let you stay out here with a storm on the way. Follow me," the guard escorted Link into the walls of the town, leading him to a small hut just inside the town's entrance. It seemed to be a guard stations of some kind, probably a place where guards prepared for shifts. "Just stay and rest here until your advisor returns. Do not go anywhere else."

"Alright, alright," Link rolled his eyes, "I get it."

Link was left alone in the hut, just to drift off to sleep when Impa entered. His eyes opened and he was greeted by the royal guard. "Go back to sleep. We're not leaving until the storm passes." she advised.

Link nodded and closed his eyes again. His ears twitched as he listened to the harsh wind outside. The storm sounded bad and he worried for Epona who he had left outside. Not only Epona, but that boy that ran out of the town just before the storm. The guard had called him a criminal, but was he truly that bad? 

He and Impa were there until after sunrise when the storm finally died down. A different guard came to alert them that the storm had passed and that they were free to go. They left the hut and were escorted out of the town. The guards brought their horses to them, apparently they had brought Epona inside the town during the storm. Link thanked them for the gesture and they left, back on the trail as they checked the area for any dangers. "So do we head back home now?" Link asked.

"Depends on if we see anything," Impa replied. "If we don't see anything of alarm, we'll spend the night. If we find something in urgent need of reporting, we'll head back."

"Alright," Link nodded his understanding and they began riding through the desert.

»»————- ♔ ————-««

The two decided to stop to eat. While Impa cooked, Link had set up a makeshift archery target and had begun to shoot his bow. "I'm starving," Link knocked an arrow and releasing it. Bullseye, as usual.

"Good things come to those who wait, Master Link," Impa answered respectfully.

"Quick question, Impa," Link began before shooting another arrow, "Aren't you Zelda's guard? Why does my father send you out here if your job is to guard her?"

"Well, unlike you, Zelda doesn't go out of her way to find trouble. Your father trusts her enough to be on her own as long as she stays in the castle," Impa answered.

"So she doesn't need a royal guard," Link muttered, summarizing Impa's explanation. "If I supposedly need one so bad, why don't I have one?"

Impa paused for a moment, hesitating to answer. "You used to have one, didn't you?" Impa asked.

"A long time ago, but he was fired for some reason," Link muttered. "Do you know why he was fired?"

Impa sighed, "Your parents had their reasons."

"You don't know, do you," Link smirked as he split one of his arrows with another shot.

"Just come over here and eat," Impa rolled her eye, dishing up a bowl of soup for the young archer. Link dropped his bow and rushed over to Impa and practically yanked the bowl out of her grasp and shoveled it into his mouth. Impa chuckled lowly, "You've always been a glutton. When you're finished, clean up your mess. We ought to head out quickly."

"Done." Link said simply, handing the empty bowl back to the royal guard before going over to clean up his target and the arrows he had shot. He put the unbroken ones back in his quiver and slung his bow over his shoulder. He put the broken arrow in his satchel. Meanwhile, Impa cleaned the bowl- which he had practically cleaned himself- with water. When they finished packing up, they headed back on the trail.

"Can you pass the water?" Link asked tiredly. Due to their inability to travel early in the morning, they got stuck in the desert heat. Impa handed him a canteen and some sunscreen. "Put this on as well, your skin is adapted to such intense sunlight." Impa instructed. Link nodded and did as she said. Taking a drink of water before slathering the sunscreen on his skin, though his cheeks had already been burned a light pink. He kept the water on him, hating to have to bother Impa with such a trivial thing. She had her own canteen, anyway.

"Do you think dad will let me train with a sword soon?" Link asked, his ears perking up at the thought.

"Not until you're 16," Impa answered. "Even then it's not very common for royalty to learn swordsmanship."

"Isn't my dad a swordsman?" Link raised a brow.

Impa sighed with annoyance, "He wasn't born into the royal family. He wasn't royalty until he married your mother. He was the son of noble. You don't want to train with lowly soldiers, do you?"

"I don't see why I wouldn't," Link said before something in the sand caught his eye, or rather someone. He noticed it seemed to be a person and he trotted over to them.

"Soldiers have no chivalry and are treated poorly- where are you going?" Impa asked as Link trotted away from their planned path. She trotted after him on her horse.

"Someone's buried in the sand here!" Link called back, hopping off of Epona and beginning to dig up the person. Impa soon came to help and they dug up a young Gerudo boy down to his neck. Impa checked his pulse, "He's still alive, though barely," they continued to dig him up to the point they were able to pull him out of the sand. "The rare male Gerudo," Impa muttered, "we should probably take him back to Gerudo Town."

"I don't think we should, actually," Link muttered, he recognized the boy. "When you were doing business with the Gerudo, he ran out of town despite the storm. I tried to stop him but he was too quick for me in the sand." he explained. "Maybe we should take him to the castle instead."

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt," Impa sighed, "Let's hurry then. We don't have much time."


	3. Memories and Dreams

Link and Impa arrived late that night with the young Gerudo boy. "Master Link, I will take care of the boy. You take care of the horses and then go meet with your father, understand?" Impa asked.

"Yes, Lady Impa," Link nodded before she walked away, carrying the boy away. Link sighed, tired from the journey, and led the two horses back to the stables. He then made his way to the throne room, where his father was waiting for him. "F-father?" He called out timidly as he opened the door.

"Ah, Link. It's good to see you, my boy," the king smiled gently, "how was the trip?"

"It was fine," Link muttered.

"Did you enjoy your first taste of the world?"

"Yeah, it wasn't bad at all," Link answered. "Did Lady Impa report to you already or..?"

The king nodded, "Yes, and she told me about the boy. The medic is still checking him out but believes he'll be fine."

Link was a little surprised to find that his father was in a good mood. It seemed to be rare ever since his wife passed away, having to take care of two children almost on his own. Of course, there were maids that also took care of Link and Zelda but they could never replace the maternal guidance of the late queen. "You're in a good mood," Link noted, "did something happen while I was gone?"

The king nodded, "Indeed. However, I want Zelda to tell you the news,"

"Zelda?" Link raised a brow, "Where is she?"

"In the archery range, I believe. Why don't you go check on her?" The king gave him a gleeful smirk. Link just awkwardly nodded and walked away and out of the room. The strawberry blonde prince made his way to the archery range, a place he had grown to be very familiar with. He spent most of his days since the age of 8 practicing shooting his bow. He had become quite skilled with the weapon, being proclaimed a master at the young age of 12. When he entered the range, he saw a hooded figure shooting a bow. The figure released and shot an arrow that hit the edge of the target. "Well, at least you're hitting the target. It's already an improvement from what you were doing before," Link said snarkily.

The figure turned around, bringing down her hood to reveal her familiar dirty blonde hair and dark green eyes. "Link! You're back!" she exclaimed, making her way over to him and wrapping him into a tight embrace.

"Yep! Didn't even run into any trouble. It was a breeze," Link chuckled cockily.

"I want to hear all about it!" Zelda smiled warmly. She had also longed to leave the castle and explore the world, but never to the extent of her brother. Before yesterday, neither of them had ever left the walls of castle town- at least not with permission. Link often snuck out, though he never got too far before he was caught by some guards.

"I will soon, but first you have to tell me what news you have for me," Link crossed his arms, looking up at his sister, who was a couple of years older than him.

"Oh, of course," Zelda rolled her eyes. Her hand went for her right glove, which she took off to reveal the mark of the Triforce of Wisdom. It glowed brightly against her pale skin and Link looked at her in awe. He looked back up at her with a gentle smile, "You awakened your power!" he was excited for his sister, knowing she had been working hard to achieve such a feat. "That's great, Zelds!" He went to grab her hand to observe it closer, but upon touching her hand he felt a weird energy surge through him. It felt serene and tranquil as images of a woman flashed through his mind. When the images ceased, however, he was greeted with an excruciating headache. "Gh-!" He winced, holding his head in his hands.

"Link? What's the matter?" Zelda raised a brow.

Link's migraine was accompanied by nausea. "I-I don't feel so good,"

"I think being in the desert sun all day is getting to you. You should rest." Zelda suggested. "Come on, let's head to your room." she put a hand on her younger brother's shoulder. She had always acted as a motherly figure to Link ever since their mother passed away. Zelda took it as her sworn duty to take care of him and be just as good of a mother so she took on the role at the young age of 8.

The two of them entered the castle walls and headed to Link's room. It was a good size, holding a queen-sized bed, a desk, a dresser and vanity, and even a personal master bathroom. The walls had been painted a dull yellow from when he was first adopted. Zelda helped him to bed, taking out the ponytail in his hair and the earrings in his ears. "How are you feeling?"

His headache had faded a little but the nauseousness never subsided. He was in a little daze, staring at the wall in front of him. "Tired," he yawned, bringing him out of it.

"I guess I'll leave you to sleep. Goodnight, Link," Zelda smiled before leaving the room, shutting off the light.

"Goodnight," Link mumbled, laying down and staring at the ceiling above him. The comfortable bed and covers made him feel warm, made him feel at home. His room was the only thing he liked in this place. His room and the royal gardens. Everywhere else felt like a cage. A cage where people just watched him like he was some sort of entertainment. It was lonely. He had Zelda, sure, but she couldn't replace the freedom and adventure he longed for.

The darkness of the room made him feel suffocated. He wasn't afraid of the dark, he actually really enjoyed it but now it felt like something... someone was watching him. He could hear a faint whispering, "The darkness in your heart will be your demise."

"Hello?" he called out, sitting up in bed despite how nauseous he felt. "Who's there?"

Only silence answered. His breathing slowed and he calmed down, assuming it was just a random hallucination from being stuck in the hot sun all day. He just needed some rest and everything would stop, right?

Link laid back down, the feeling of being watched didn't leave but he tried to ignore it. He covered his head with the blankets and laid in a fetal position. He closed his eyes and managed to doze off.

»»————- ♔ ————-««

Link stood above the Gerudo. "It's over!" he pointed the tip of the Master Sword to the other man's neck. The man didn't cower, however. Instead, he just laughed.

"We both know it isn't. This is never-ending," the man laughed. "Our spirits are bound to reincarnate and follow along to this meaningless dance all because our damned goddesses have betrayed us!"

"But for now, you'll be dead," Link muttered, his heart didn't waver. He was set on defeating the tyrannical Gerudo king and never looking back. "Whatever happens in the next life isn't my problem."

"I'll make it your problem," the large man laughed. Link didn't hesitate to kill him then and there. However, the Gerudo said something quietly under his breath and grabbed onto Link's hand, nails digging into his wrist. "All you heroes are the same. You're all too concerned with sacrificing yourself to save Hyrule, you never bother to think about who's going to save you."

"Gh-!" Link winced, something crawling from the man's hand and up to his arm. A black tar-like substance sinking into his skin, burning it as it covered his hand. When the tar settled into his skin, it left behind another mark of the Triforce. The Triforce of power. Link's eyes widened in fear before looking back down at the Gerudo, whose life faded from his eyes as he released the hero's wrist. "What the hell?" Link's ears lowered and he tried to rub the mark away. Now he had a Triforce symbol on each of his hands. The hand that held the Triforce of Power still burned and he held it defensively. A headache shot through his head as black veins crawled up his arms. "Wh- what the hell?" he growled.

»»————- ♔ ————-««

"Link?" Zelda's voice could be heard. Link's head shot off his pillow, the headache from his dream had followed him out of the dream. He winced in pain as he held his head. Zelda looked at him strangely, "Whoa, are you alright?" she asked gently.

Link rubbed his head, "I-I'm not feeling too good, actually," he muttered. "I still have a massive migraine."

"Oh dear," his father said as he entered the room. "My guess is that you were in the sun too long. Sun poisoning can do that to you."

"I guess," Link laid back down.

"Then why don't you just rest for today? No point in overworking yourself," the king muttered.

"Wait a moment," Link began, "What about that boy? What happened to him?" Link felt worried about him for some reason, he didn't even know the Gerudo's name.

"Ah, well we found out that the boy was trying to leave Gerudo town because he was treated poorly," the king answered. "He mentioned that he was seeking out Hyrule castle in hopes of a better life."

Link found that explanation strange, as he had seen the Gerudo boy fleeing the town being chased by guards and even being called a criminal. He decided not to mention it to his father, not wanting to make bold accusations and possibly getting the boy in deeper trouble. "What's his name?" Link asked.

"Ganondorf,"

Link's ears twitched at the name, it sounded familiar somehow, though, he didn't think he had ever heard the name before. "Do I get to meet him?"

"I don't see why not. But you must rest, for now, you can meet him later," his father muttered.

"Fine," Link sighed, settling back into his covers.

"Rest well, Link," Zelda smiled warmly before the two of them left the room, leaving Link alone once again. He looked up at the ceiling, bored out of his mind. He wasn't a fan of staying still, even when he was exhausted out of his mind. He turned over on his side, eyes fluttering closed as he tried to fall back asleep, trying to ignore the pain.

»»————- ♔ ————-««

Link sat alone in his room, his mother was angry for some reason he didn't know. He had just gotten back from the barracks with his royal guard. He wasn't sure what was wrong, but his mother came in and started yelling at his royal guard. His father brought him back to his room and locked him inside not even bothering to explain what had happened. You'd think he would know what was wrong, considering he was there, but it was hazy and it felt like he had blacked out somehow, leaving him in even more distress as he longed to know what was wrong. His cheek was stinging and red, but he couldn't remember why.

So he was stuck in his room, there wasn't much for a five-year-old to do to escape. He played with his toys, but they weren't that appealing to him. He felt scared but didn't know why. He wrapped a blanket around his shoulders to comfort himself.

"Don't be afraid," a whisper said. Link looked around but didn't say anything. The whisper continued, "You're a brave young boy, aren't you?" A dark figure seemed to materialize out of thin air, looking like a shadow at first. The darkness surrounding the figure dissipated and revealed a young man with black hair and warm, red eyes. His aura was intimidating, but his voice was warm and gentle.

'Who are you?' Link signed, his way of communicating as he didn't like speaking.

"That's a good question," the figure muttered, tapping his finger on his chin in thought. "I don't really have a name."

'No name?' Link signed, weary of the man.

"I've got an idea," the man's ears perked up as a thought came to mind. "How about you give me a name?"

'You want me to name you?' Link furrowed his brows as he pointed the last part of the sign towards the other.

"Sure, why not? It'll be a sign of our friendship!" the man grinned. His intimidating aura began to fade and Link began to feel a little less scared. "So tell me, what do you want to call me?"

Link thought about it, looking back on how the man had appeared in the first place. 'How about S-H-A-D-O-W?' he spelled out the name, referencing the fact that the man looked like a shadow at first.

"Shadow?" the man raised a brow, he nodded in agreement, "I like it. It's quite fitting. Such a smart kid, aren't you?" the man put a hand on Link's head, who instinctively moved away from it. Shadow's ear lowered, "Oh right, I guess you're not comfortable with that yet."

'Do you know what happened? Why is mom mad?' Link signed, his ears also lowered as his anxiety crept back in. 'Why was she yelling at Atticus?' he wanted to know what his royal guard had done to cause such a commotion.

"You don't know? Are you brain dead?" Shadow asked, unintentionally raising his voice, "It happened like 10 minutes ago!"

Link flinched at the loud voice, cowering in the blanket he had wrapped around himself. Shadow seemed to calm down, his voice returning to the low, gentle tone he had maintained before. "I guess it makes sense," he muttered, "a child shouldn't have to know."

'What happened?' Link signed again.

"He hurt you," Shadow answered, trying to be as vague as possible. "Your mother caught him and became upset with him. Do you not feel where he hit you?"

Link placed a hand on his red cheek, which was still stinging. He didn't sign anything in response. He just wrapped the blanket tighter around himself as tears began to come to his eyes. Shadow's ears perked up and he wore a look of empathy, "Hey, don't cry," he said softly, wiping the young boy's tears from his eyes with his thumb. "He isn't going to hurt you anymore. I'll protect you."

There was then a knock on the door, "Link, are you alright?" Link's mother's voice could be heard through the door.

"I guess I've got to go," Shadow muttered, looking back at the door behind him for a moment before looking back at Link.

"Will I see you again?" Link asked, his voice barely above a whisper, though he still signed as he spoke as it was just a habit of his.

Shadow's ears perked up at hearing the mute's voice. He gave a warm smile, "Of course. Even if you don't see me, I'm always by your side. Understand?"

"Okay-" Link had gotten halfway through the sign before his mother unlocked the door and opened it. Shadow disappeared in an instant, dissipating like the shadows that had brought him there. The queen was caught off guard, hearing Link's voice for just a brief moment. "Link? Did you just-? Who were you talking to, dear?" she asked, her voice was as calm as always.

'Shadow,' Link signed, not wanting to speak anymore.

"Shadow?" the queen raised a brow. "Who is that?"

'Friend,' he signed simply.

"You made a friend?" the queen inquired, receiving a nod in response. "An imaginary friend?"

Link shook his head, 'Real.'

The queen sighed and walked over to him, picking him up and cradling him in her arms. "I'm sorry you had to go through that, darling, but it's alright now. That horrible man won't be hurting you anymore." she held him tightly, holding him in an embrace that he returned. "I love you so much, my phoenix."

Link wanted to sign, but the position he was being held in made that almost impossible so he just whispered quietly in her ear, "I love you too, mama,"

»»————- ♔ ————-««

Link stayed in bed when his eyes opened again. He was tired but didn't want to fall back asleep. His headache subsided at last and he wanted to go outside. He rolled out of bed, walking over to the window, and opening it. When the window was pushed open, a crisp spring breeze blew through the window, ruffling up his strawberry blonde hair. The warm spring sun shone on his pale, porcelain skin and reflected off his sapphire eyes. He looked down and in the distance, watching the bustling streets as people walked through them getting where they needed to go. He looked directly below him, seeing the bridge lined with soldiers below. It had been covered in eggs a few days before from his little stunt. He just chuckled to himself.

He decided to sneak out, turning back to his desk where he grabbed his cape and bow. Next to his cape, he saw his earrings, the ones his mother had given to him before she passed. According to her, they belonged to his great great great grandfather, a hero of the past that married into the royal family to reestablish it after the kingdom had fallen to some great calamity. He held them tightly in his hand before putting them on. He rarely took them off, the only reason he wasn't wearing them now was that Zelda had taken them out the previous night as she was helping him to bed. He had hardly noticed that they were gone as they felt as natural in his ears as if he had never worn earrings at all. 

He fixed his ponytail, put on his cape, and slung his bow over his shoulder, and headed back toward the window. He sat on its ledge before turning around and lowering himself down by his arms, hanging from the ledge until he got close enough to the bridge so he wouldn't break something when he hit the ground.

"Link?" his father's voice could be heard from inside the window. "Link!" his father's head poked out the window, scaring the prince and making him lose his grip on the window and his back hitting the bridge below with a thud. The wind was knocked out of him, "Ow," he grumbled as he looked up at his father. "What was that for?"

"Where do you think you're going? Get back up here!" his father yelled down.

"Make me, old man!" Link said defiantly before feeling an intimidating presence behind him. He looked up and behind him, seeing a guard tower over him. He developed a nervous smirk, "Uh, I mean-" he didn't finish his sentence as he glanced over the edge of the bridge, seeing the water below him. Without another thought, he darted to the side of the bridge and dived into the water. Luckily, he was a good swimmer.

"Link! When I get my hands on you you're in big trouble, young man!" the king yelled from the window.

"Oh yeah? And how are you going to do that?" Link laughed as he swam to the shore. "You're all the way up there, how are you going to catch me?"

He suddenly felt someone grab him by his wrists and tie them behind his back, "Ah! Hey!" he looked behind him to see his sister, "Zelda? You traitor!" he said dramatically, though he was obviously joking.

"Come on, Link," she pushed Link forward, not untying his hands, and led him back to his room. He didn't bother to struggle, not wanting to hurt his sister. When they arrived at the room, they were greeted by the king and the Gerudo boy. The king crossed his arms at him, "When are you going to stop acting so childish?" his tone and gaze held disappointed anger. "What am I going to do with you?"

Link shrugged, "Lock me up and throw away the key?" he joked.

The king shook his head, "We'll discuss this later," he muttered before turning toward the boy. "Link, this is Ganondorf."

"Please, call me Ganon," the boy insisted as he gave a respectful bow towards the prince and the princess. Zelda gave a pleasant smile toward the boy while Link just felt a little uneasy. He wasn't one for formalities and always felt awkward when people bowed to him. Ganon stood back up, "It's a pleasure to meet you." he held out his hand, which Link took to shake. On contact with the Gerudo, Link felt another migraine shoot through his head and his nausea returned. He froze in his tracks, fear gripping his heart. Images shot through his head, images of a man, a beast, a monster. The images horrified him. He pulled his hand out of the other's grip, using it to put a hand to whatever pained his head. "Link?" Zelda's familiar voice called out.

Hot tears rained down his cheeks. He was scared and confused, not knowing why he saw such horrific things. He wrapped his arms around himself and Zelda put a hand on his shoulder. Link looked back to see the women from before. They were riding a horse toward a large beast, the woman aiming a bow of pure light. "Link, it's alright," the woman said as his surroundings seemed to fade. He wasn't sure how, but he had ended up laying on the floor, being held up by his sister. His father and Ganondorf were kneeling next to him, concern prominent in their eyes. The Gerudo even seemed to have some guilt in his gaze. "What happened? What's wrong?" Zelda asked.

Link just looked at them with a distant look. He was on the verge of passing out, his vision was hazy and he couldn't seem to focus on anything. "Link, stay with me," his father put a panicked hand on his cheek, "Whatever you saw isn't real, you're safe here."

But his efforts were futile, Link had already passed out.


End file.
